Printing machine



June 3, 1952 w, o wrrz 2,598,991

PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. '7, 1945 2 Sl-EETS-SHEET 1INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y8 Patented June 3, 1952 PRINTING MACHINE Walter T. Gollwitzer,Euclid, Ohio, assignor to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation,Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Original application February7, 1945, Serial No. 578,507. Divided and this application March 25,1950, Serial No. 151,969

Claims. 1

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No.578,507, filed February This invention relates to printing machines andparticularly to printing machines adapted for use in accounting work toproduce accounting records and the like.

In the preparationof accounting records, situations often arise whereinit is desirable to perform posting operations in respect to a largenumber of accounts, and to afford a novel and effective printing unitfor accomplishing such posting operations is an important object of thisinvention.

A further object of the invention is to simplify the posting of records,and more specifically, it is an object of the invention to enable aposting unit for operating on such cards to be so constructed andarranged that it may be readily set in different positions so as toaccomplish the posting operation in different areas of the cards orrecords in accordance with the setting of the posting unit.

It is a further object of the present invention to enable such a postingunit to be operated in a manner that facilitates shiftable mounting ofthe posting unit. A more specific object of the invention is to operatethe posting unit of the apparatus through a Bowden cable connected fromthe sensing means, thereby to cause operation of the posting unit eachtime the sensing means are operated through a sensing cycle.

For purposes of disclosure the invention is herein illustrated asembodied in a posting unit 80 that forms part of an accounting machineIn that is described in detail in my aforesaid parent application SerialNo. 578,507. The machine l0 makes provision for automatic and sequentialfeeding of cards C, Fig. 2, into and along a sheet guideway that isformed on the table top T by an under cut rear guide and under out frontguides 41 and 41A. The card feeding movement is attained by a constantlydriven feed belt 38 and one or more cooperating presser rollers 13, andeach card C is brought to rest momentarily at an operating or workingstation by a stop finger 60 so as that a data sensing operation may beperformed by a sensing head 10 and a posting operation may be performedon the card by the posting unit 80.

As explained in detail in my aforesaid parent application, the card Chas a money amount rep resented therein by coded perforations which aresensed by the sensing head 10 and entered into an accumulator, and as anaccounting record showing the fact of such sensing and adding'of themoney amount from a card 0, a printed indica- Other and further objectsof the present invention will be apparent from the following descriptionand claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, byway of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention and the principle thereof and what I now consider to be thebest mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle.

Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalentprinciple may be used and tion such as the word Paid is printed in anappropriate space on the card C by the unit 80.

In order that such operations may be performed at successive intervals,the card has a large num--" ber of such spaces, and the printedimpressions may be made in different selected-positions on the card bysetting or mounting the posting unit serves to operate the sensing means10 and the posting unit 80 while the shaft 44 operates the stop finger60, as will be described hereinafter. As herein shown, the stop fingercomprises a plate 6| disposed transversely of the sheet guideway G andpivoted by a mounting stud 62 on the forward end of an arm 63 that is inturn pivoted on a supporting shaft 64. The arm 63 extends rearwardlyfrom the shaft 64 and has a roller 65 disposed as a cam follower beneaththe edge of a stop finger cam 66 mounted on the stop finger cam shaft44. It will be observed that the stop finger plate 6| has a slot 6'! cutin its lower edge so as to afford clearance for the belt 38, and whenthe-stop finger plate 6| is dropped to its lower position by the actionof the cam 66, the edge 21 91th? card C will move into abutment with theadjacent face of the plate BI so as to be held in the operating positionbeneath the sensing means 10 and the posting unit 80.

When the card C has been stopped and accurately located in the operatingposition as described in my aforesaid parent application, the machineoperates to effect the'desired sensing and posting operations, and thenumerical amount that is represented by the perforations is sensed bythe sensing means I0, and the word Paid is printed at the same time inthe appropriate space of the card C by the .posting unit 80. The sensingmeans I0 are in the presentinstance carried by a rocker I05 having camrollers I06 thereon that are engaged by appropriate cams I0! mounted onthe shaft 40 andcooperating with the cam rollers I06 so as to actuatethe rocker arm I05 in a downward direction each time the shaft 40 isrotated. The downward movement of the rocker arm I05 takes place inimpression on the'ca'rd C being determined by each cycle of operation ofthe machine at the time when the card C is located at rest in theoperating position as defined by the stop finger 60, and. the downwardmovement of the rocker arm I05 is utilized in the present instance toeffect downward sensing movement of the sensing means I0; 'Thus, therocker arm I 05 has a casting IID extended from its forward edge andthis casting has mountingmeans thereon whereby the se'nsinghead I0 is'supported on the arm I05.

At-the time when the sensing means 10 are operated to sense theperforations '25 in a card C, the pos'ting unit 80 or the presentinvention is'operaited to print the word "Paid in the appropriate spaceI I of the posting area I5 of the card; and such operation of theposting unit is attained by means of a Bowden cable I60, as shown in thedrawings. The Bowden cable I60 has oneie'nd of its sheath anchored in abracket IBI that is mounted on a housing portion 40'A of I the machinejust above the outer end of V the rocker; I05, and the corresponding end,of the Bowden wire 160A is connected to the casting I I0 by aconnectorfittin'g I62. The other end of the sheath 0f the Bo'wden'cable'I60 is connected, as sh'owriin Figs. '1 and 2, to the upper wall of theposting unit by a hub -I 83A and a clamping screw I63 so that in thecourse of downward movement of the sensing means 10, the Bowden wireI'BBA is so actuated that the end thereof that is disposedwith'in theposting unit 80 is moved in an upward direction, and this causes postingoperation of the posting unit', as will be hereinafter described. 4

The posting unit as herein shown comprises a pair of side plates "0 andIII that are secured at their lower edges by screws "2 to opposite edgesof a base plate I'I 3, andthe side walls I10 and "II'I are connected attheir upper edges by a top plate I14 that is secured to the side platesby screws I15; The forward end, that is, the righthand' end as shown inFigs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, is closed by an end wall I'IG that isconnectedto the side walls I10 and If by screws ITI." Within the housingthat is thus afforded, a rocker'I 80' is pivoted on a transverse shaftI8I, and a spring I82, acting between the rocker and its stationarytransverse shaftl83, is operable to urge theleft-ha'nd end'of the rockerI80 to the elevatedor' inactive position shown in Fig. 2. The end oftheBo'wden wire IA has a connecting fitting'lfid secured to the endthereof. within the housing and this fitting is pivoted at I85 totheright-ha'nd endof the rocker 180, and when the Bowden wire I60 isactuated in a downward the location in which the posting unit isdisposed, as will hereinafter be explained in detail.

When the printing element I is in its elevated or inactive positionshown in Fig. 2, it is in a reversedo'r upwardly facing position and isin contact with a downwardly facing inking pad 'I9I, this inking padbeing carried on a rockably supported mounting block I92, This mountingblock is generallysoiuare'cross section, and is held in a position wherethe inking pad I9'I faces downwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, by a springbiased de'tent arm I93 that is pivoted on the transverse shaft I83 andis urged downward-1y against the flat surface of the m untin bar I 92 bya spring I94. When the user desires to apply ink to the ink pad I' 9I,the mounting bar I92 may be rotated by a knurled operating handlethatis' connected to the mounting bar I92 and is disposed o'ii-tside ofthe side wall "-0 of the posting'unit. Thus, the pad 191 may be facedupwardly for the application of ink thereto, and in such rotativemovement of the mounting bar I92, the force of the spring I94 will beovercome and, hence, the retaining element I93 will be ineffective.

In the coursaof downward movement of the printing" element i90, theposition of the printing element is re'versedfas will'be evident bycompari's'on of the two iJQsitions of this printing element as shown inFig. 2; so that as the printing element approaches its lowermostposition it is located in a downwardly facing relationship Whereinit mayeffect the desired printing operation on th'epos'ti-ng area Iiof thecard 0. in accomplishing such reversal of the position of the printingelement I90, the printing element is supported on a mounting block W8that is generally L-shaped in form, and this mounting block I93 hasaligned shafts I99 extended from opposite ends thereof along an axisthat is parallel to the printing fa'ceof the printing element I90. Theseshafts have reduced ends 199A thatare associated with the left-hand end,Fig. 2, of the rocker I80 50 that th'e'printing element may be raisedand lowered by the rocker I80, and. the reduced ends I99A are alsoextended outwardly through generally arcuate guide slots 200 formed inthe side walls I10 and Ill respectively of the housing sothat the shaftsI99 are guidedvb'y such slots 290 as the printing element I90 is raisedand lowered. The rocker I 88, as ,herein shown, is so formed as toafford spaced arms IBBA that are disposed adjacent to the side walls ofthe housing where the slots 200 are formed in these side walls, and thearms I80A of the rocker I80 have slots 29I formed therein so as toextend longitudinally of such arms The slots 20 I 7 embrace the reducedend portions I9';9A of the shafts I99, thereby to form the desiredconnection whereby the rocker net is effective toiiaijse and lower theprinting element I90, and nuts.v 2104.are disposed on these shafts justinwardly, of the arms I80A so .as to effectually separate and guidethese arms. Thus,

Fig. 2.

it will be clear that when the rocker I 80 is moved in acounter-clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 2, theshafts I99 will be moved I99 will first be moved in a downward andright-' hand direction, and will then be moved in a downward andleft-hand direction and then into vertical portions of the slots 200until the shafts I99 reach the dotted line position shown in Fig.

2, and this path of movement of the shafts I99 is utilized in obtainingreversal of position of the printing element I90. Thus, as will beevident in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the mounting block I90 has aslide rod 2I0 extended therefrom so that it projects downwardly from theblock I98 when the block is in its upper position of Figs. 8 and 9. Thisslide rod 2 I0 extends downwardly through a transverse bore 2 in arocking bar 2 I2 that is supported on a fixed horizontal axis halfwaybetween the upper and lower positions that may be assumed by the shaftsI99. The mounting for the rocking bar 2 I2 in the present instanceisattained in such a way as to afford clearance for the arms I80 and theends [99A of the mechanism as these elements move through theiroperating strokes. Thus, a pair of supporting brackets 2I5 are provided,and one of these brackets is mounted in a fixed position on each ofthese side walls I10 and IN. The mounting brackets are generallyU-shaped in form, and one arm thereof is held in position against theouter face of the side plate by rivets 2I6, this arm of the member beingbent outwardly at 2 I1 to afford clearance forthe adjacent end I99A ofthe shaft I99 that projects through theguide slot 200. At the rear orleft-hand ends, Fig. 2, of the brackets 2I5, the material is bent in aninward direction and is then bent in a forward direction so that theother or inner arm 2I5A of the U-shaped bracket extends in a forwarddirection. The arrangement is such that the inner arm 2I5A of eachbracket H5 is spaced from the sidewall upon which it is mounted in anamount sufiicient to afford clearance between the side wall and the arm2I5A for the arm I80A of the rocker I90.

The inner arms 2 I 5A of the brackets are utilized to afford a pivotalor rocking mounting for the rocker bar 2i 2, and this is accomplished inthe present instance by aligned pivot pins 2I8 that extend from oppositeends of the rocking bar 2 I2 andthrough the adjacent arms 2 ISA of thebrackets 2| 5.

With the-arrangement thus described, it will be apparent that thedownward movement of the shafts I99 along the path determined by theguide slots 200 serves not only to slide the rod 2I9 through its bearing2 I I, but also serves to rotate the rocking bar 2|2 about thehorizontal axis afforded by the pivot pins 2 I8. Hence, when the rockerI80 has moved through substantially onehalf of its. counter-clockwiserocking stroke from the position shown in Fig. 2, the slide rod 2 I0will be located in a substantially horizontal position, and the printingelement I90 will be faced in a forward or right-hand direction as viewedin Continued downward movement of the shafts I99 serves to complete thereversal of position of the printing element I90 so that when'the shaftsI99 reach the lower limit of their travel, the printing element I90 willbe disposed in the downwardly facing position shown in dotted outline inFig. 2, and it is while the printing element is in this position thatthe desired impression is made on the card C. Upon reversal of movementof the rocker I80, the position of the printing ele-- ment I90 is againreversed and the printing ele-' ment is brought into its upper or restposition in' engagement with the ink pad I9I.

It has been pointed out hereinbefore that the printed impression 22 thatis made upon the card C by the posting unit is formed in a particularone of the spaces I1 of the card in accordance with the location of theposting unit 80 with respect to the operating position in which the card0 is located by the stop finger I60, and in accordance with the presentinvention, the posting unit 80 may readily be set or located on thetable top T of the machine so as to attain the desired location of theprinted impression 22 on the card C. In attaining this result, theposting unit has a pair of fastening bolts 220 extended downwardlythrough the top wall I14, and the re-' duced lower ends of the bolts220, as indicated at 22I in Fig. 2, are extended through openings formedin the base plate I13 of the posting unit. The shoulders formed on thefastening bolts 220 above the reduced portions 22I thereof are arrangedto seat against the upper face of the base plate I13 and the screwthreaded lower ends of the reduced portions 22I are adapted to bethreaded into selected screw threaded openings 224 that are formed inamounting plate 225 that-is secured on the table top T of the machine.In forming and locating the threaded mounted openings 224 in themounting plate 225, the arrangement or disposal of these openings 224 iscorrelated with the arrangement in which the printed impressions are tobe placed.

It will be observed inFigs. l and 2 of the drawings that rearwardly ofthe base plate I13, the lower edges of the side plates I10 and HI areoffset upwardly as at 228, thereby to assure adequate clearance betweenthese plates and the surface of the table top T. It should also beobserved that in the course of adjusting move- I ment of the postingunit 80 in a front to rear direction, the operator must avoid the makingof impressions directly over the belt 38, and hence, after the postingunit has been adjusted to a particular relationship, the belt 38 may bedisposed in a lateral position wherein it will be spaced substantiallyfrom the location at which the impression is to be made by the printingelement I90. Proper clearance for such adjustment of the belt 38 isafforded by the slot 61 in the lower edge of the stop finger plate0|,and it will be recognized, of course, that the pressure rollers 13will in such an instance be adjusted to proper positions laterally ofthe guideway G by the adjusting mechanism 229 that is indicatedgenerally in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that the presentinvention affords an improved posting unit adapted particularly for usein an automatic v record posting machine, andthat such posting unit iscapable of operation in such a machine in an improved, highlyadvantageous manner.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variationand modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to theprecise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changesand alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

ascswar i 1 nit; -osn 'n' un it brinetnaracter described,

a housing havingparallei'sidewalls-and $531881 plate terminating shortor one end of the'side Walls'to afford an open'b'ottom for said housingadjacent said one end, an operating rocker pivoted between said sidewalls and extending toward said one end; a printing element having saidside, Walls having generally arcuateflg'uide' slots formed thereiir andembracing said ends of said rock shaft means to move said printingelement generally endwise of the housing an incident to up and downmovement of said printing element, a slide rod mounted on said printingelement and extended perpendicular to said printing face; a rockingbarmounted for rocking movement on'an' axis substantially'coincidingwith the axis of said guide slots; said making bar having a" bearingopeningslidably embracin'g said slide rod and cooperating therewith toreverse the position of said printingelement as an incident to rockingmovement of said'opcrating rocker, inking means positionedfor engagementby said printing face when said printing element is in its upperposition, spring means acting on said rocker to urge said printingelement to said upper position, and an operating cable connected to saidrocker for actuating the same and extended out through said housing,

2. In a posting unit of the chara'cterde'scribed, a housing havingparallel side walls and a base plate terminating short of one end of theside walls to afford an open bottom for saidhousing adjacent said oneend, aninking pad'disposed in an upper position of said housingnear'said one end and in a downwardly facing relation, an

operating rocker pivoted between said sidewalls and extending towardsaid one end, actuating means for imparting rocking movement to said 1operating rocker, 'a' printing element havinga printin'g'face' and asupporting rock shaft means extended'there'from in opposite directionsparallel to theprinting' face of said element, said rocker having spacedarms adjacent said end of said housing and said arms having slots formedlongitudinally thereof and embracing said rock shaft means formovingsaid printing element up and down when said-rocker is actuated,said sidewalls 1 of said printing element as an incident to' ro'ck- 7ing movement of said operating rocker to engage the printing face ofsaid element with said inking pad when said element is in its upperposition, and to face said element downwardly as said element is moveddownwardly through a printing-stroke.

3. In a posting unit of the character described,

a housing. having, parallel side walls I and airbaseplatelterminatingshort of one end of theeside walls: to afford an open bottomifor saidhousing adjacent said one end, an operating rocker pivoted between saidsidewalls and extendingtoward said one end, actuating means forimparting rocking movement to said operating rocker, a printing" elementhaving a printing face and a supporting-rock shaft means extended fromsaid element in opposite directionsparallel to the printingface' of saidelement, said rocker having spaced armsadjacent said end of said housingand said arms having slots formed longitudinally thereof. and.

embracing said rock shaft means for moving said printing element up anddown when saidrocker is actuated, said side walls having, generallyarcuate guide slots formed therein andembracing. said ends of said rockshaft means to move'said printing element generally endwise of thehousing as an incident to up and down movement of said printing element,a slide rod mounted on said printing element and extendedperpendicular-v to said printingface, a rocking bar mounted for rocking,movement on an axis substantially coinciding with the axis of saidgenerally arcuate guide slots, said rocking bar having a bearing:opening slidably embracing said sliderod andcooperating therewith toreverse the position of said printing element as an incident to'rocking.

movement of said operating rocker.

4. In a posting unit of the character described. a housing havingparallel side walls, a top wall,

and having an open bottomlfor' said housing adjacent one end, an inkingpad disposed in an upper position of said housing near said one end andina downwardly facing relation, an operating rocker.

pivoted between said sidewallsand extending toward said one end, aprinting element having a printing face and a supporting rock shaftmeansextended therefrom in opposite directions parallel to the printingface of said element, said rocker having spaced arms adjacent said endof said; housing and said arms having slotsjormed longitudinally thereofand embracing said rock shaft means for moving said printing element upand downwhen said rocker is actuated, said side wallshaving generallyarcuate guide slots formed therein and embracing said ends of said rockshaft means to move said printing element gener-: ally endwise of thehousing as an incident toup and down movement of said printing element,a slide rod mounted on said printing element and extended perpendicularto said printing face, a rocking bar mounted for "rocking movement on anaxis substantially coinciding with the axis of said guide slots, saidrocking bar having'a hearing opening slidably embracing said slide" rodand cooperating therewith to reverse the position of said printingelement as an incident to rocking movement of said operatingrocker toengage the printing'face of said element with said inking pad when saidelement is in its upper position and to face said element downwardly assaid element is moved. downwardly through a printing stroke, anoperatingcable slidably extended through said top wall adjacent theother end of said housing and connected to said rocker for impartingrocking movements thereto.

5. In a posting unit of the character. described, a housing havingparallel side walls and a topwall, and affording an open bottom forsaidhousing adjacent one end, an operating rocker pivoted between: said sidewalls and extending toward said one end, a printing element having aprinting face and a supporting rock' shaft means ex- 9 tended from saidelement in opposite directions parallel to the printing faceof saidelement, said rocker having spacedarms adjacent said. end of saidhousing and said arms having slots formed longitudinally thereof andembracing said rock shaft means for moving said printing element up anddown when said rocker is actuated, said side Walls having generallyarcuate guide slots formed therein and embracing said ends of said rockshaft means to move said printing element generally endwise of thehousing as an incident to up and down movement of said printing element,a slide rod mounted on said printing element and extended perpendicularto said printing face, a

rocking bar mounted for rocking movement on 15 an axis substantiallycoinciding with the axis of said generally arcuate guide slots, saidrocking bar having a bearing opening slidably embracing said slide rodand cooperating therewith to reverse the position of said printingelement as an incident to rocking movement of said operating rocker, andoperating means for said rocker extended slidably through said top wallnear the other end of said housing.

WALTER T. GOLLWITZER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 356,732 Scotford Jan. 25, 1887640,449 Cressler Jan. 2, 1900 1,245,624 Scotford Nov. 6, 1917 2,079,080Melind May 4, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 424,947 GreatBritain Mar. 4, 1935

